It was on this day, this September 27th, back in the year 1905 when a certain scientific paper appeared. It was published in the Annalen der Physik, a Physics Journal, hailing from Germany. The very esteemed paper was written by none other than Albert Einstein.
And in the paper, for the first time, appeared the equation E=mc2. Energy equals mass times the speed of light. Squared.
That equation changed our understanding of the world.
But the thing is, Albert came up with a heck of a title for the thing: “Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?”
Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content? Well, heck yes, Albert. That one is easy. It is called a nap. When the body has no energy, it simply lies down and becomes inert. I get inert all over the place sometimes.
In fact, I’m feeling a little inert right now.
However, if I am not careful, someone might read this. Then, before you know it, we will have a National Inertia Day.
Or, it might go viral on Facebook. And soon the world will be engulfed in the Inertia Bucket Challenge.
People will probably start posting endless “Me and Inertia” videos on YouTube. Striving for the most times “watched.” which sort of defeats the entire purpose of inertia.
All of it is making me tired.
Oh, to be inert in peace.
But that is the way of the world these days. Energy really does equal mass times the speed of light. Squared.
Things go really fast and furious these days. Our lives are lived out on social media. Everyone, knows everything, about everyone’s comings and goings. Immediately. Depending on our technology settings, the rest of the world knows when we’ve boarded a plane, or when we are dining at Big Jimmy’s Deep Fried Pit. They know when babies are born, when weddings are wed. They watch as a divorce unfolds, or a soccer match is played out. It bounces, and spins, and jumps and jives. All right there on the glass screen. The speed of light. Squared.
I sort of long for the days of inertia. When the phone hung on the wall in the kitchen. The only phone in the house. When the TV had three channels. When we talked after church, over coffee, chocolate milk, and donuts. We sat together and found out about one another’s joys. And troubles.
When we made eye contact. And took walks. Not to get fit. But just to walk. And see.
I am a geek, and I thrive on technology.
But I miss the old world. When there actually seemed like there were 24 hours in a day. And in September, we never even thought of Christmas. I miss the part of us that innately knew how to slow down.
The equation for energy has not changed one bit.
It is, and always will be, E=mc2.
But we’ve changed.
It seems we are losing touch with our inertia.
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“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
― John Lubbock, The Use Of Life
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“Rest and be thankful.”
― William Wordsworth
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I’m late / I’m late / For a very important date. / No time to say “Hello, Goodbye”. / I’m late, I’m late, I’m late. — White Rabbit, Alice In Wonderland
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